


Prelude to Love

by frantic65



Series: Prelude to Love [1]
Category: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-22
Updated: 2014-05-22
Packaged: 2018-01-26 02:32:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1671464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frantic65/pseuds/frantic65
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Up and coming young classical musician, Jack Twist, does not make a good first impression on conductor, Ennis Del Mar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prelude to Love

**Author's Note:**

> This is part 1 of a series of 10 somewhat linear stories set in a present day universe. Ennis is about 10 years older than Jack in this universe. The entire series spans roughly a dozen years in their lives.

“Sorry I’m late, Maestro!”

Ennis tossed the baton onto the podium in frustration, closed his eyes and counted to ten, all too aware of the nervous looks he was getting from the rest of the orchestra. This was supposed to be a simple dress rehearsal, a final run-through before the latest concert of the New York Philharmonic’s, **Spotlight on Emerging Young Artists Series.**

The entire series had turned into a huge success, and for the first time in many years, the mainstream media was showing a more than passing interest in the world of classical music. Ennis was thrilled that the plan to revitalize the genre and open it up to a wider audience through highlighting young, attractive musicians was generating excitement outside of the usual society patrons and industry critics. 

Not as thrilling were the antics of the latest star prodigy, one Jack Twist, the current extraordinarily talented, yet unbelievably annoying soloist. Disruptive, habitually tardy and with a definite lack of respect for the gift he’d been blessed with, this present situation was par for the course with the spoiled artiste. 

“How very nice of you to grace us with your presence, Mr. Twist.” Ennis acknowledged the brash young musician smiling innocently up at him, blue eyes sparkling mischievously at getting a rise out of the famously even-tempered conductor. “Are you by any chance warmed up and ready to play, or are you going to waste more of our time today?” 

Ennis felt slightly mollified as a flush spread across Jack’s face, who at least had the decency to cast a contrite look at the other members of the orchestra waiting patiently to get on with rehearsal. 

Ennis retrieved his baton and tapped it several times on the podium to indicate he was ready to resume. “Let’s run through the allegro, I want to make sure it doesn’t drag like it did last time.” He caught the glare Jack threw his way and chuckled inwardly. The allegro was the most difficult section for the soloist, and if he hadn’t taken the time to warm up properly, he would be apt to struggle to reach the higher notes. Time to show a certain self-absorbed young artist that ignoring the rules sometimes came with unpleasant repercussions. 

Ennis brought his hand down briskly, feeling a familiar exhilaration as the music immediately swelled around him in a comforting mix of strings, brass, and woodwinds. Ennis glanced in Jack’s direction and cued him in, gesturing to the rest of the orchestra to lower their volume and allow the pure notes of the solo to fill the concert hall. 

Ennis felt a grudging admiration for the French Hornist as he swayed with the melody and handled difficult passages with ease and skill. There was no denying the fact that he was both gifted and charismatic, and Ennis was sure he would become as close to a household name as a classical musician could get in a relatively short time. 

As he finished a particularly challenging passage with a flourish, Jack raised his eyes to meet Ennis’s, and the fire that he saw contained there left Ennis feeling curiously breathless and excited. The tingling in his stomach rapidly headed into his groin much to his surprise, and Ennis looked away quickly to mask his confusion. 

Ennis was gay. It was not a secret, but it was also something he didn’t discuss openly either. He had never really had a long-term relationship, choosing to focus instead on his career, and his quest to become the youngest assistant conductor in the prestigious New York Philharmonic’s history. At the tender age of twenty-eight he had achieved that goal, but the constant travelling that took him around the globe so often, both as an apprentice and a guest conductor, just never gave him the opportunity to make any sort of serious commitment to one man. 

Ennis chanced another glance in Jack’s direction, and by the slight smirk that he saw plastered on his face, Ennis knew the little shit realized the reaction he was causing in Ennis’s cock. Ennis frowned in Jack’s direction, deliberately pushing the tempo up a notch as Jack’s next solo passage began. Ennis harbored a decided smirk of his own as Jack almost missed his cue, and clumsily fingered the first measures, before quickly recovering his aplomb, playing flawlessly until the end of the piece. 

“Very nicely done everyone.” Ennis praised the group and went on to make a few announcements before he dismissed the rehearsal, and started making several last minute notes to his score. When he began to gather his things to leave, he was surprised to see Jack Twist sitting impatiently off to the side, apparently waiting to speak to him. 

Ennis raised his eyebrows in question as the younger man quickly stood and approached him. Ignoring the sudden acceleration in his heart rate, Ennis tried to maintain a professionally blank expression as Jack entered his personal space somewhat aggressively. 

“You have a question, Mr. Twist?” Ennis resisted an excited shiver as the heat from Jack’s angry gaze reached for him like a living thing. 

“Yes, Mr. Del Mar, I do. What is your fucking problem with me?” Jack ran his fingers through his hair in frustration as he spoke, drawing Ennis’s attention to the thick dark hair that sprang back messily as Jack dropped his hands back to his side as he awaited Ennis’s response. 

Ennis stared at Jack with a mix of anger and amusement at the other man’s sheer insolence. “My problem with you?” He schooled his expression into one of polite indifference. 

“Yes. You have been riding my ass since day one, and I can’t decide if that’s because you’re just naturally grumpy as hell, or if it’s because your head is so far up your ass you wouldn’t recognize true talent if it came up and bit you.” Jack was breathing heavily and his skin was flushed as he threw his hands up dramatically. 

“Let me tell you something Jack Twist, and I would suggest that **you** pull your head out of **your** ass if you intend to survive in the wonderful world of classical music. Are you listening to me, Jack?” Ennis watched the angry flush deepen, yet he also saw a flicker of unease cross the other man’s face. _”Been there, done that.”_ he thought to himself ruefully, remembering a time his own arrogance matched that of this young man before him. 

“Yes, I’m listening.” Jack’s expression turned sullen, but Ennis felt he finally had the musician’s full attention. 

“Good. I don’t think I need to go over just how cut-throat the music industry is, no matter what genre you specialize in,” Jack gave a curt nod as Ennis paused. “If you were an up-and-coming rock star, you could behave as badly as you want, and you would receive a label like “Rock’s Latest Bad Boy” and you could trash hotel rooms and arrive late to or miss as many rehearsals as you want, and no one would bat an eyelash.” Jack visibly swallowed and met Ennis’s eyes, his anger visibly banked as he heard the truth behind Ennis’s words. 

“But, you are in the classical music universe, which has been around a hell of a lot longer than all of the other popular styles by several hundred years, and comes with its own unique set of rules and etiquette. You are talented, Jack, no one who has ever heard you play can doubt that, but talent and good looks will only take you so far. At some point, if you have a reputation of being unreliable and difficult, it will stack the deck against you. There’s always going to be someone younger and hungrier than you waiting for their big break. Don’t make it any easier for them.” 

Their gazes held, and Ennis allowed a slight smile that Jack answered with one of his own before he concluded what had turned into a short lecture. “Just for the record, Jack, I wasn’t convinced that you were right for this series, and I’m still not. But if you learn to channel that fire you have in your gut strictly into your music instead of trying to defy every rule in the book, you just may make a believer out of me yet.” 

Jack’s smile finally reached his eyes at Ennis’s words, and it was Ennis’s turn to blush as Jack’s expression turned flirtatious and predatory at the same time. “Thanks Ennis. I appreciate your honesty, and I want you to know I’ll take what you’ve said to heart. Would you let me apologize for my adolescent misbehavior by joining me for some coffee?” He blinked slowly and held out his hand, and Ennis felt his body respond to the obvious invitation being offered by the other man. 

“Give me ten minutes and I’ll meet you in the lobby.” Ennis took Jack’s hand and shook it, holding on for a second longer than politeness dictated, indicating his agreement that perhaps it was time for a fresh start between them. 

**Author’s Note:** For those of you who may be interested in seeing and hearing the French Horn solo that Jack was going to perform, here is a link. The soloist, Andre Goncalves, is not as handsome as our Jack Twist, but he is certainly attractive and talented. It is one of the most famous horn solos ever written and my personal favorite, the **Morceau di Concerto by Saint Saens**. I hope you enjoy it.

Link to[ Jack's Solo Piece](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIxKHJdKqfI%20).


End file.
